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Da Claudio, Life after Sandy

$15,850
of $50k goal

Friends of Linda and
Claudio Marini are committed to helping them toward a fresh start after the
devastation of Hurricane Sandy. We all
loved Barbarini, the charming and delicious Front Street restaurant and neighborhood
hub. We miss our delicious fresh pasta, served in
Barbarini's beautiful skylit space; we miss the gelato and the cheese and the
salumi we used to take home; but mostly we miss the warmth of our beloved
hosts!

Over the seven years since
Barbarini's opening, the Marini's generosity of spirit has filled Front Street
and become a part of our lives. After
Sandy's eight-foot surge swept through the restaurant, taking everything with
it, pots, pans, food, furniture, and refrigerators, many volunteers went down to
the Seaport to work alongside the Marinis and their neighbors to clean up the
mess and salvage what they could. Linda
and Claudio were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and help.

Now it is time for the
Marinis to look to the future. In the
month since Sandy hit, they have come to realize that, with all the damage and
limitations, it is impossible for them, in the near term, to move forward in
their old location. In order to begin
supporting their family again, they hope to open another restaurant soon, on
slightly higher ground but still in lower Manhattan. While they are currently in search of a
space, they have a name: Da Claudio. As
anyone who knows Claudio will attest, his love of life, family and food are the
beating heart of any restaurant. When
Claudio fell in love with Linda, he named his midtown trattoria Caffe Linda for
her. Now it is time for Da Claudio to
open its doors.

We can't imagine fans of
Barbarini will not jump at the chance to see Linda and Claudio back in action,
joined by any members of their fabulous staff who chose to follow them. And if you have never tasted Claudio's food
or had him pour you a welcoming glass of Prosecco, you are in for a treat. The Marini's have given us so much. It is time to help them out with a financial
contribution toward opening Da Claudio.
For all those of us who support them in their effort to put Sandy behind
them and start feeding the neighborhood again, there will be an opening night
feast. And there will be many years of
Linda and Claudio's delicious warmth for us all to share. Please join us with your donation today!

We are delighted to share that we have just signed a lease for an amazing space located in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan at 21 Ann Street (corner of Theatre Alley). It is located on one of the oldest streets in Manhattan, in the corner commercial space of a newly developed building situated on HIGHER ground and most importantly"¦. close to all our friends, neighbors and customers we have missed all these months post Sandy!

We anticipate an early 2014 opening! We have a lot of work in store for us and would love to share our progress so please like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter as we build our new restaurant. Please also visit our website at www.daclaudionyc.com to join our mailing list or simply to check in for any updates on our progress.

We are thrilled to begin this new chapter and cannot wait to see all of you again!

Please know we could not have come this far had it not been for all the love, encouragement and support you continue to send our way!

We are currently still looking at spaces and negotiating for the perfect space has proven to take some time. Rest assure, we are moving as fast as we can and promise you will be the first to know when we secure the location!

We are working on a logo and website but in the meantime, please continue to follow our progress via ny.eater.com as they document our journey as we rebuild (enter Claudio and Linda Marini or Barbarini in the search box).

Please know that we could not have gone this far without your support!

Thank you for all the positive vibes and tremendous support you have sent our way!! We are looking FORWARD because of YOU! Really moved by the generosity and so grateful to have you be part of this journey post Sandy! We are working hard to make things happen thanks to you and look forward to revealing more so stay tuned! Lots of love, Claudio and Linda

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